Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 80121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80121 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 401(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
“I’m listening.”
“I do nothing all day while you’re out and about—”
“You aren’t going to work.” Being a prisoner meant she had no freedom. Working was a freedom that she didn’t deserve. “You will stay here constantly unless you accompany me somewhere.” Not even her sexy legs could change my mind about that.
Disappointment was in her eyes, but she pushed on for another request. “Then can Landon come to the house and visit me? He’ll want to spend time talking to the baby. And I could use the company…”
“You think I’m gonna let your brother, who tried to talk me out of killing you, come into my house?”
“Even if he wanted to, there’s no possibility of him doing anything. You don’t need to worry about that. He’s not happy about the situation, but he does admire you for what you did for our father.”
Only certain people were permitted on my property. It didn’t matter if Landon was outnumbered a hundred to one. “No.”
“Then can I meet him for—”
“No.”
“Can I talk to him on the phone, then? Can I have a phone?”
Denying that request would be extreme. There was no harm in it. “I guess.”
She sighed, appreciation in her gaze. “Thank you. But I hope you reconsider letting him come to the house. This is his niece or nephew, and he has the right to spend time with them.”
“Has the right?” I asked. “That implies you have rights—which you don’t.”
Her eyes narrowed at the insult. “Even when I’m gone, Landon will still be family. One day when our child grows older, they’re going to be curious about me. They’re going to ask questions. And it won’t be that hard to find out exactly what happened to me. What will you do then?”
“Tell them what you did.”
“I think anyone other than you understands how difficult the situation was.”
“Don’t care.”
“You don’t care that your child may hate you?”
I looked at the TV. “No.”
“You say that now. But when you hold that baby in your arms, that’s all you’ll care about.”
I still couldn’t believe I would be a father. Even with all the help I could hire, my life would be completely different. Bates and my mother wouldn’t be the only family I had. Soon, it would grow.
“I hope you reconsider.”
“You forget that I don’t owe you anything.”
“But I don’t forget that you have a heart.” She stared me down like a predator that had just cornered its prey. “I understand you’re still mad at me right now, but you do still care about me the way I care about you. You’re also just as stubborn as I am, so you’ll come around on your own time. I’m patient enough to wait.”
I grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. My peaceful evening had been interrupted by this obnoxious woman. “I don’t care about you.”
“You say that, but everything you do contradicts it. Why did you return my father? I never asked you to do that, and it wasn’t your obligation. But you made it happen anyway.”
I would never admit the answer she was looking for. I would keep lying until I couldn’t do it anymore. “Everyone should be able to bury the ones they love. It was the humane thing to do.”
“To the woman who betrayed you?” she asked. “You called a truce with a group of men you would ordinarily slaughter—for me. You’re going to have to give me a better answer than that.” She shifted closer to me on the couch then tucked her leg between my knees. She turned into me and rested her face close to mine, her lips dangling just inches away. “I said I was sorry, Cato.” Her hand moved to my cheek, and her fingers brushed against the scruff of my beard. “How many times do you want me to say it?” Her perfume washed over me in delicious waves. Her fingertips felt like rose petals against my skin.
I felt the same pull I’d felt last time, the magnetic energy between us. It seemed like I wanted her more now than I had when she was mine. My hand ached to yank down her shorts so I could see the panties she wore. I wanted to yank up her tank top so I could see those beautiful tits. “What do you want from me, Siena?” I pulled her hand off my cheek.
“Just you.” Green gems looked into my eyes as she whispered to me.
I wanted to trust this woman, but I couldn’t. I could never trust someone who’d lied to me for so long. “You want to fuck the man who’ll kill you? Or do you think you’ll be able to fuck me so good that I won’t kill you? It can’t be the first one, so it’s gotta be the second one. And I’ll save you the trouble of hoping. I will put a bullet in your brain the second your purpose is fulfilled. So, tell me, do you really want to sleep with a murderer?”